Flight Risk
by PaperSky95
Summary: "You just knew that we'd fall apart?"  She shrugs. "Why bother with love when it never lasts?" *3rd and final in my Thalico songfic trilogy*


Note: If you haven't please read Breakeven and My Immortal before reading this. You don't _need_ to but they're all in the same continuity. This is heavily, heavily influenced my Taylor Swift's Mine.

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_I was a flight risk, with a fear of falling..._

**August 12, 2017**

Thalia Grace clutched desperately at the metal bar that had lowered itself over her abdomen. Why in Zeus' name was she even in this _deathtrap_?

"Hey Thalia, are you ok?"

Oh right, her idiot boyfriend.

"No Nico I am not ok," she replied through gritted teeth. "We are several hundred feet up in the air, climbing steadily higher and about to fall at an EIGHTY DEGREE angle. In what universe is any of this OK?"

Nico's skin prickled as his girlfriend turned her startling blue eyes on him with a vehement stare. Tiny white-hot sparks were fizzling off her fingers and it looked like the safety bar was beginning to bend... "Hey relax, it's just a roller coaster."

"It's been _three_ minutes already," she seethed.

"You've been counting?" Nico asked needlessly. He didn't get why Thalia was so strung up about all this. "If you didn't want to ride it you could've backed out."

"I do NOT back out of dares," the daughter of Zeus stressed. Feeling an uneasy bubbling of apprehension and (dare she admit it) _fear_, she squeezed her eyes shut and braced herself for the fall.

Their car peaked over the top of the hill with a slow _click, click, click_, before Nico remembered to remind. "Don't forget to wave your arms for the picture!"

"THEY'RE TAKING A PICTURE?"

Later that day, several witnesses would report that they saw a freak lightning bolt strike the tallest roller coaster in the state.

Let it not be said that Nico and Thalia's first date was a boring one.

_click_

**December 22, 2019**

She sat alone, huddled on the sandy shores of Camp Half Blood's windswept beach. A shiver wracked its way through her as she hunched into a tighter ball. She couldn't stay in her cabin; the tall, white, walls closed her in too much and made her feel trapped. No, she couldn't stay there. She needed fresh air. Fresh air would clear her mind. It would let her forget a little.

Forget that half an hour ago she'd pulled all clothes out of their closet and emptied her drawers.

Forget how bit by bit, everything she owned disappeared into the gaping maw of her duffel bag.

Forget the feeling of the quick, purposeful strides she'd taken to the door.

Forget how she'd just left, heading for the only place where she knew she'd be welcome.

Forget that she never even once looked back.

So she wondered...about things that never crossed her mind because she'd locked them away. About the mother that had tried to end it all because she'd given birth to a blue eyed monster. About the father that had ignored his daughter because she was nothing more than a broken promise. About the people who passed her by on the streets because she was just some street urchin who wasn't worth their time.

Now she had a new addition to the growing list.

"Thalia?"

And he was someone she didn't want to see for a long, long time.

"Thalia?" he repeated when no reply came. Footsteps muffled by sand sounded closer and closer.

"Why did you bother coming out here di Angelo?"

He stood behind her; she could hear his breaths coming out in puffs. "Why'd you leave the apartment?"

"I left because you were never home," she answered. The chilly winter air nipped at her stoic face as she watched waves lap at the shore. "I know how these things work, Nico. You'll come home less and less. Then you'll stop coming all together and when that happens I'll stop mattering. So before all that drama could happen, I left."

Silence reigned as lonely grey clouds clustered together, sympathizing with the daughter of the sky's pain.

"Thalia, how are you so sure that's what would happen?" he asked, voice calm.

"Simple," she started. "I've lived through it before."

And in a rare show of insight, Nico understood.

"You just knew that we'd fall apart? After defying a god to get to where we are, you didn't even give us a chance?"

She shrugs. "Why bother with love when it never lasts?"

Thalia saw him come around. He squatted in front of her, his form dimly silhouetted by the moonlight while something glinted in his open palm. "We'll _make_ it last."

Joy and excitement bubbled up inside her at the sight of the modest ring, but she pressed it down, reminding herself of how love _really_ worked. "Nothing lasts Ghostboy. Look at our parents. Every single camper here, we're all just passing flames, spur-of-the-moment accidents. That isn't even counting all the mortal kids who've been dumped on the streets. I've seen them Nico. Styx, I've _been_ one of them!"

His brow furrowed in determination. Light glinted off the small diamond he held in his hand as he announced. "We'll never make our parents' mistakes."

Slowly, ever so slowly, he inched his hand towards hers. The thin white gold band slipped onto her finger as her breath hitched. "Nico..."

"Thalia Grace, will you marry me?"

Warm tears traced tracks on her cheeks while she nodded. Gods, she hated herself right now for crying. Because for the first time, in a long time, she started to believe in something she never thought was possible.

"Yes."

Nico flashed a goofy grin as he pulled her into a gentle hug. "Oh and Thalia, happy birthday."

_click_

**June 17, 2020**

They stared dejectedly at the broken remains of Percy's Long Island summer home. Its roof had been ripped off, its left wall smashed in, and its door was nothing but a giant splinter. This was supposed to be their perfect day, but so far everything had gone so, so, so wrong.

There had always been monsters after them. After all, they _were_ two of the most powerful demigods ever to come into existence; it made sense for every Cyclops and his cousin to come running towards their stench. But today of ALL days? Luck didn't seem to want them to get married.

It had been a relatively normal evening, or as normal as things can get with Annabeth as your wedding planner. But of course being demigods, nothing can ever go that smoothly. The first piercing battle cry had sounded at around 2:30am. Thalia remembered this clearly because, unlike everybody else who was attending the ceremony the next day, she had been awake.

Most brides have pre-wedding jitters. Thalia on the other hand had pre-battle jitters, which were much more badass (in her very humble opinion). After her last wedding had been trashed by a pack of rabid hellhounds, she had reason to be wary.

Gods did she have to be right all the time?

"This is the _second_ time," Thalia muttered, bending down to run her fingers through the sparse trampled grass.

Nico stood by her, knowing that he was treading on thin ice. "Well you know what they say, 'third time's the charm'."

"You know for a son of death, you're a pretty cheery person," she commented, her hand grazing against something invisible on the ground. A Yankees baseball cap flipped over, popping into view and revealing the black velvet box that was hidden under it. "Hey Ghostboy, I found our damn rings."

"Oh hey, that's where they went," he chuckled nervously. Squatting down to pick the rings up, he shifted into a comfortable Indian sit and pulled his morose fiancé close. "You know, this'll probably just keep happening."

"We've got no control over it." A familiar dull pain seeped into her at the statement, but she ignored it. A year ago, that would've been enough to tip her into believing he'd abandon her; not now though. Now, she was going to give love a chance to prove itself. "This wedding business is just slipping right out of our hands."

"Geez this is just so annoying," Nico mumbled. Suddenly, he sensed Thalia tense in his arms and felt like kicking himself. Smooth move di Angelo, call getting married annoying, that'll _totally_ be fine with your fiancé. But then, in those rare strokes of brilliance that he only ever seemed to have whenever he was around her, he sprouted an idea. "Hey Thalia, do you have a scrap of paper on you?"

She looked up at him questioningly, her eyes shining with resentment and unshed tears that threatened to fall. "I've got last week's grocery list..."

"Great, hand it over," he directed. After a few seconds of Thalia rummaging through her pockets later saw Nico holding a wrinkled shopping list in his hand. He pulled a pen out and scribbled messily on the back of it, speaking as he did so. "I, Nico di Angelo, promise to love Thalia Grace until the day hell freezes over."

Thalia watched his haphazard scrawl take form and smiled. "I, Thalia Grace, promise to love Nico di Angelo until the sky falls down."

Nico paused halfway through writing Thalia's part. "Hey wait a minute; the sky almost fell a few years ago!"

"Are we doing this or not?" she snapped.

"Ok, ok," he said as he signed his name on the bottom of their grocery list marriage.

Taking the pen, Thalia scripted her signature next to his. "So what now?"

"Now," Nico started, opening the black velvet box. He slipped the gold band onto Thalia's finger, just like he had months ago. Thalia mirrored the process, slipping her ring's partner onto his calloused one. "Now we're married and I'll never leave you alone."

"Nico...," she breathed tenderly, staring at their wrinkled vows. Out of the blue, a frown marred her face. "Nico, writing your first name down in cursive doesn't make it your signature."

_click_

**May 5, 2022**

Thalia di Angelo drifted back into consciousness slowly, at least it seemed that way to her worried husband.

"Mmmnhh," she groaned, eyelids fluttering open. Breathing in deeply, she smelled the subtle tang of hospital antiseptics and the unmistakable scent of her stupid Ghostboy.

A plastic chair was dragged closer to the bedside, its legs rattling bluntly on the ground. "Thalia? How're you feeling?"

"Like crap," she replied weakly.

"Oh, do you want a sip of water or something?"

"No, just stay here next to me," she ordered, some of her old commanding attitude slipping in.

A hush fell upon the two as they took in all that had happened. It was Thalia that asked the question that both hung over their heads.

"Nico," she began. "Do you really think we're ready for this?"

"We better be," he answered, clasping her hand in his. "We've had eight and a half months to prepare."

"You know that's not what I mean," Thalia said. The pulse monitor jumped as her heart rate quickened with anxiety. "We don't know if our kid's going to be a half-blood, a human, or heck maybe he'll be the first quarter-blood. The not knowing is just so..._frustrating_."

"Yeah...," he sighed, leaning back and teetering on the back legs of his chair.

More silence before the curious statement, "Nico, why'd you fall in love with me?"

A clattering crash before the sputtering answer, "W-what?"

"Why'd you fall in love with me?" she repeated. "And don't make me ask again."

"Why do you want to know?"

She sighed deeply and stared at the white hospital ceiling. "I need to know this kid will always have two parents."

Nico bit his lip and thought about his answer. "Do you remember that day you saved me from that chimera?"

A slow nod as she turned to look at him.

Almost-black met electric-blue as he stared back. "I remember exactly how I felt that day: fear, anxiety and happiness. Seeing you deathly pale in my arms while I took us back to camp...Thalia I knew that I never wanted to feel that way again."

"You're not very good at these pep talks are you?"

"Wait, let me finish," he said. "We're never going to be a normal family. I mean, how _can_ you be normal when half your family is immortal? But we knew all that when we decided to make this happen."

"So, no regrets?"

"I fell in love with the stormy sky's electric daughter," Nico said. "She is the best thing that's ever been mine."

"You don't _own_ me," she quipped, a smile on her face.

The door to their room opened as a nurse walked in, a bundle of blue blanket in her hand.

Pleasantries and congratulations were exchanged before the nurse left the new family alone. Thalia peeled the blanket away from her son's olive skinned face and gasped.

"He's got your eyes," Nico whispered.

And as the baby di Angelo gurgled and cooed in her arms, Thalia couldn't believe how beautiful he looked. "Hey baby boy, I'm your mom."

_Click_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I ran a hand through my spiky black hair as I flicked through the snapshots. My parents' faces smiled and frowned back at me in the candid photos. The jumble of emotions I felt brought a tight feeling to my chest but for some reason, I couldn't stop looking at them.

"Hey," Uncle Percy called. He walked in just after I'd wiped at my eyes with the sleeve of my suit. "It's starting."

"Yeah I'm coming," I said, getting up from my seat and shoving the photos into my pocket. Passing him as I walked out of the Big House I added, "I was just looking at those pictures you gave me."

"Oh the secret ones Nico and Thalia never knew existed?" he joked, falling in step with me. We walked together towards the amphitheatre. "How are you holding up?"

"Fine," I replied. "Dad was getting pretty old anyway, and with mom gone, I was pretty sure he'd follow her soon. Plus, if mom were here, she'd shock me for being so emotional."

"That _does_ sound like something she'd do," he chuckled softly.

They reached the pavilion where Chiron stood, holding the glowing ember of a torch and grimfaced as he turned to look at us. "Thank you for fetching him Percy."

"No problem," he waved as he left me to sit next to Aunty Annabeth.

I made my way towards the centaur that had been like a grandpa to me, my legs as heavy as lead despite my calm expression. Chiron must have noticed, because his face softened to a sad smile. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes," I replied, hardening my resolve.

"Alright," he nodded. Turning to address the rest of the campers he raised his voice. "Heroes! We are here to today to honour the death of a Son of Hades. He has had a peaceful death yet still we mourn his passing. His son has asked me to give him the honours."

He struck his hoof against the stone platform, throwing up sparks and relighting the torch.

Taking the flame from him, I approached my dad's black-as-night skeletal shroud. I knew I was supposed to make some sort of speech, but the words caught in my clenched throat. One touch from the torch was all it took for the shroud to catch. The fire licked at the bones, sending silver tinged ebony smoke up to the heavens.

Stepping back, I raised the torch and shouted. "To Nico di Angelo, a son of Hades, hero to all and best dad to ever walk the Earth!"

"To Nico!" the assembled demigods hailed in a melancholy cheer.

"And," Chiron bellowed, coming up behind me. "To his son, Zachary Nicholas di Angelo. May he live on and continue his parents' legacy!"

I've never been so proud to call myself a di Angelo.

_Do you believe it? We're gonna make it now_

_And I can see it, I can see it now_

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Note: Was it obvious what the dates were for? This will DEFINITELY be the last Thalico songfic from me :D Review please!_  
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